Dill is a fresh herb with a clean and sharp flavor that complements a variety of foods. Some ways to use it in a salad include cucumber dill salad, shrimp or tuna and dill salad, or dill salad dressing. Cucumber dill salad usually contains thinly sliced cucumbers, onions, and a sour cream or buttermilk-based dressing. A seafood salad with dill could have a creamy base made with mayonnaise, or a lighter version could be made with olive oil. Dill is one of the primary ingredients in ranch salad dressing and could also be used in vinaigrettes and a variety of other dressings.
The very distinctive taste of dill makes it an excellent companion for more mildly flavored ingredients like cucumbers, and this salad is a great side dish for the warm summer months. Virtually every cucumber dill salad begins with thinly sliced, peeled cucumbers, but the ingredients for the dressing can vary. Most recipes use fresh dill, but dried dill could also be used. A dressing can be made with sour cream, or an oil and vinegar base can be used. Either base can be flavored with onions, salt, or sugar.
Seafood dill salad is another popular use for the herb. Many cooks use it to flavor canned tuna in a mayonnaise-based salad, giving a fresher, livelier taste. Tuna dill salad can be served alone, as a cold sandwich, or as a tuna melt, which is baked in the oven with cheese on top. Fresh tuna can also be cooked and combined with dill, olive oil, and vinegar for a simple yet flavorful entree salad. Shrimp and dill can also prepared together with avocado and topped with a drizzle of olive oil and salt for a healthy dinner that is quick and easy to make.
Dill salad dressings can be made from a variety of ingredients and complement almost any salad. Ranch dressing is one recipe that almost always contains dill, and either the fresh or dried version of the herb can be used. A basic recipe for ranch dressing could start with sour cream and milk or buttermilk. Dill can be added along with garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper. Some cooks prefer to use dried herbs and garlic powder rather than fresh garlic for salad dressings, as the dried ingredients can be more easily combined. Ranch dressing can be used as a dipping sauce for chicken or vegetables as well as on a salad.